Freedom to Heal

I’ve been writing devotions for years now. They’ve been published online and in the book, God’s Purpose for Every Woman. I love to write for pleasure, like in a journal, blog, email, or Facebook. And now, for the first time, I have my writing in a magazine….The P31 Woman. My picture is on the cover and there’s a picture of my family inside.

The November issue is out and I chose to write about a tough subject. The title of the ariticle is “Freedom to Heal”. It is about my journey from emotional turmoil to peace. I am so excited about this article. First of all, I hope it will in some way help others who struggle with anxiety and depression. I also hope it will help those who struggle with guilt from being on medication. And maybe most importantly, I’m excited about this article because it is my story. I had perfected the mask I wore hiding a very frustrated and insecure woman. Now it’s off and I’m ok with who I am. And not afraid to admit that “yes, I have anxiety issues, I have been depressed, and I needed help.” If you’d like to read about it, check out the November issue of the P31 Woman. (Proverbs 31, 704-849-2270) Or if you have a comment to share about the article or your own story, I would love to hear from you either here on my blog or by emailing me at Melissa@MelissaTaylor.org.

I want to thank 3 people who contributed in a great way to this article. Amy Brooke (who also has an article in this issue), Joy Brown, and Samantha Reed. You all know what you did, but also just your sweet friendship and faith in me was a big boost. Thank you so much.

Above all, I give all thanks and credit to God. He has given purpose to my pain and provided healing to my soul. He gave me the confidence to write about my insecurities and I pray He will use it all for His glory and purpose.

I have to admit, I was so nervous about writing this article. It’s not easy to admit that you have suffered with emotional or mental issues. But I’m glad I did it.

OMG…Melissa, we are on the same journey at the same time….I, like you, only read for help/learning not pleasure, but the Shack is the one that opened me to fiction. Someone recommended it at “She Speaks” and then I read Redeeming Love and A Time To Dance by Karen Kingsbury which led me to Redemption as well, I am a little ahead of you so I won’t give anything away, but I am so excited to know that I am not alone…lol =) Thanks for sharing.

Hi Melissa.Thanks for your blogs. They inspired me to start one myself. It really gives me an opportunity to share my heart and it has really helped. I’m in the caribbean but thanks to technology we can enrich lives. Do view my blog.

I just finished reading your article in P31 and came to your blog to find you!

That article could have been written by me. Everything…the description of your thoughts, the remedies you tried, your AGE…we even both have blond hair!!

I, too, have struggled for the last six years with what I now know was depression. I, too, was fervently serving God, eating right, writing, teaching, leading, parenting. All the while, battling these dark, self-deprecating thoughts, that wouldn’t leave no matter what I tried. I cried every day. I was irritable and mean to the people I loved the most. I couldn’t shake it.

In May, also on the verge of a nervous break down, I called a friend who is a doctor, who referred me to a therapist (gasp!) who referred me to a psychiatrist (double gasp!) who prescribed an antidepressant (faint!!!). I was so scared and embarrased. I didn’t tell anyone but my husband, and I didn’t even want to tell him, except that I knew he would find out eventually anyway. That night I took the first pill and cried myself to sleep.

The next morning (less than 6 hours later) I felt the first twinge of happiness I had felt in years. The depression lifted that day, and I remembered what it was like to be joyful. I honestly had forgotten. (that is a very short time for antidepressants to take affect, but that is how fast they worked for me.)

I entered therapy and learned everything I could about my condition. For the first time in years, I believed that God had not relegated me to a life where I was destined to fight for every glimmer of joy I posessed. It was a amazing summer.

Now, like you, I’m telling everyone about my journey in hopes of helping others get help and be free.

You said it best when you wrote: “What a relief to acknowledge and handle it appropriately rather than attempting to fix it alone.”

Thank you for having the courage to share your story. With your platform, you will undoubtedly help thousands of others find their way out of the dark pit of depression.